Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic ZS20

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-PM1 versus Panasonic ZS20, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PM1 (12MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The E-PM1 was manufactured 5 months prior to the ZS20 so they are of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a quick summary of how the E-PM1 grades versus the ZS20 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 offers exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS20 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM1 versus Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PM1 against the ZS20.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and ZS20 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions just by reading through a spec sheet. The picture here will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and ZS20.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 due to its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS20 will give more detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively.